387. 2. These two universal atmospheres ally themselves with an atmosphere of conjugial love and with an atmosphere of love for little children. It is apparent that an atmosphere of conjugial love is allied with the atmosphere of procreating; for procreation is the end, and conjugial love the intermediate cause by which it is effected; and in producing effects and in the effects produced, the end and the cause are united because they work together. It is also apparent that an atmosphere of love for little children is allied with the atmosphere of protecting what has been procreated, because this is an end arising from the previous end, which was procreation, and a love of little children is its intermediate cause, by which it is effected. For ends progress in series, one after another, and as they progress the last end in one series becomes the first end in the next, and so on, until they reach their goal, in which they stop or terminate. But on this subject, more will be seen in the explanation of heading 12.

400. 12. The atmosphere of a love of procreating proceeds sequentially from its end through causes into effects, and produces cycles, by which creation is preserved in its foreseen and provided state. All activities in the universe proceed from ends through causes into effects. These three elements are in themselves indivisible, although they appear as distinct in idea and thought. Still, even then, unless the effect that is intended is seen at the same time, the end is not anything; nor is either of these anything without a cause to sustain, foster and conjoin them.

[2] Such a sequence is engraved on every person, in general and in every particular, just as will, intellect, and action is. Every end there has to do with the will, every cause with the intellect, and every effect with action. Similarly, every end has to do with love, every mediating cause with wisdom, and every resulting effect with useful endeavor. The reason is that the recipient vessel of love is the will, the recipient vessel of wisdom is the intellect, and the recipient vessel of useful endeavor is action. Consequently, since activities in general and particular in a person proceed from the will through the intellect into act, so do they also from love through wisdom into useful endeavor. (Only by wisdom here we mean everything that is connected with judgment and thought.)

It is apparent that these three elements are united in the effect. That they are also together in idea and thought prior to the effect is seen from the fact that the only thing that intervenes is execution. For in the mind the end issues from the will, produces for itself a cause in the intellect, and forms for itself an intention; and an intention is a kind of act prior to the execution. So it is that intention is accepted by a wise man as the act, and also by the Lord.

[3] What rational person cannot see, or, when he hears it, acknowledge, that these three elements flow from some prime cause, and that the cause is, that from the Lord, the Creator and Preserver of the universe, continually emanate love, wisdom, and useful endeavor, and those three as one? Say if you can what the origin would be otherwise.